Gameball and process of covering same



July 21, 1936. EA BAUMER GAMEBALL AND PROCESS OF' COVERING SAME` Original Filed March 2l, 1930 EL W4 @D Au/wffa;

BY M+w ATTORNEYS.

Raiatea J'uly'i'zl, 193s I Y v UNITED Baumer. Fort Thomas, Ky., assignolftoV The?. Goldsmith Sons Company, Cincinnati,v

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio l(f h-iginai No. 1,980,803, dated May 29, 1934, Serial No.v 437,777, .March 21, 1930. Application for reissue August 31, .1935, Serial No.38,812

1o claims. (c1. 11e-267) My invention relates to covered game balls and to a novel method for securing covers to game balls withconcealed stitching.

' While, in the art, it is old as shown in the Melot Patent #289,297 to provide a game ball having a cover secured with concealing stitching, the proc-K. ess of stitching proposed by this patentee was to loosely stitch the meeting edges of the cover with a curved needle and then subsequently go over the l0.` stitches and pull them taut `with an awl. This process was not at all satisfactory as it required a double :lob and the cover after it was completed; was not entirely tight.

It is anV object of my invention to provide a l5 process of stitching which does not require a subsequent tighteningvv of the stitches and in which the concealed stitches are pulled tight with the needle with which the stitches A are originally placed inthe cover. Another object of my invention is to insert stitches in and out with the inward stitch passing lengthwise through the flesh side of the leather so that they will tend to be bound i-lrmly inplace.

A still further object is the provision of a novel method oi stitching which incorporates in part .what has been suggested in ther prior art with the addition of suchsteps from my new process -as to render the manufacture of a ball accordingly, a commercial proposition. lo Another object is the provision of perforations diagonally through the leather so that the stitches may be pulled through without diiiiculty, and so that all the stitches will lie transverse to the top and bottom surfaces ofthe leather within the skin itself as in contrast to extending across from the upper to the lower surface of the leather. y

The above objects and others to which reference will be made in the ensuing disclosure I acomplish by that certain combination and arrangement of parts of which I have shcwn'a preierred modification.

Referring to the drawing:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a completed ball stitched in accordance with my invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the cover pieces.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the outs ward stitch.

Figure 4 is a perspective View showing the in ward stitch. Figure 5 is a ,detail sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 'in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail oi part of tle type of stitching which may be employed in combination with the type of stitching illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a cover showing a still further stitching arrangel ment.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the arrangement of Fig. 7 partly formed. 5

Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, the inner body I of the ball is rst prepared and then two cover pieces 2 are iitted together and preferably tacked in position on the body. The cover pieces may have spaced holes 3 or maries to indicate where 10 the point of the needle is to be applied duringthe stitching operation. With a skilled operator however the holes need not be formed in the cover.

The end of the stitching thread is first tied and the iirst stitch is applied from the inside of the 15 cover through the hole, if the cover is of this type. After drawing through the thread the needle is inserted back into Y the hole and then passed lengthwise through the border of the iiesh side of the cover piece. The needle is then inserted 20 underneath the opposed cover piece and up through another of the holes. The thread is then drawn through the hole and the needle inserted back into the hole and passed lengthwise through the border of the liesh portion of the cover. The 1 25 ,stitching is thus proceeded with until the entire cover has been stitched.

The two stitching operatins are indicated in Figures 3 and 4. Fig. 3 showing the vertical or outward stitch and Fig. 4 the return or ,diagonal 30 stitch. The result of applying the stitches inthe manner which has been described is that loops of thread are formed as indicated at l in Figure 5 which are securely held in position within the tough iiesh portions of the cover pieces. 35

As has been stated the holes 3 may be omitted, the operator then followingl the same manner of stitching but without having the holes to be used as guides.

In developing a machine for punching the 40 stitchperiorations I may punch one set of holes across from upper to lower surface. and I may punch other holes diagonally in through the abutting joining edges oi the cover pieces so that the piercing of the leather with the needle point is 45 made unnecessary.

y I may further punch the needle perforations only through the meeting faces of the cover pieces so that a type of stitching illustrated in Figure 7 will be employed. In this modication the cover 50 pieces 2a. have their meeting edges pierced by diagonal perforations extending laterally up through the cover pieces, as indicated at 3b. The threads will then assume the form of return -loops4c,asseeninFig.8,andasinthe iirst 55 described modification the threads will be pulled down into the body of the leather below the surface.

As a still further modification I may stitch part of the cover pieces 2a by the old and well known expedient shown in Figure 6 with stitches 4a. Then after reversing the cover and inserting the body of the ball, I complete the stitching of the cover by employing a curved needle and inserting stitches 4b through preformed perforations 3b, as shownin Figure 7, which have previously been pierced from the meeting faces of the pieces diagonally downwardly and out through the esh.

surface of the cover.

When the cover is completely stitched, there will be no exposed stitching so that the wearing away or breaking of the stitches with use is avoided, and there is no tendency for the outside surface or skin side of the cover to split.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

l. A covered gaine bali the opposed edges of the cover of which is secured with stitching which consisting in making successive passages of/ thread through the inner surface of an edge portion of one pie-ee, partly out through the piece, then diagonally along and out through the edge of the piece, then under the edge portion of the other piece and partly out therethrough, then diagonally further along and out through the edge of the other piece and returning under the edge portion of the irst piece.

3. The method of stitching together two pieces i of cover with their edges abutting on a game ball, consisting in making successive passages of thread through the inner surface of an edge portion of one piece, partly out through the piece. then diagonally along and out through the edge oi the piece, then under the edge portion of the' other piece .and partly out therethrough, then diagonally further along and out through the edge of the other piece and returning under the edge portion of the first piece, and drawing the thread taut and thereby causing complete abutment of the edges of the pieces, in the course of each one of said passages of the thread.

4. The method of stitching together two pieces R of cover with their edges abutting on a game ball,

consisting in preforming perforations through the edge portions of the pieces at intervals therealong, and then making successive passages of thread partly out through a perforation of one piece, then through a side of the perforation and 'diagonally along and out through the edge of the piece, then under the edge portion of the other piece and partly out through a perforation thereof, then through a side of this perforation 'and further diagonally along and out through the edge portion of this other piece and returning under the edge portion of the first4 piece.

5. The method of stitching together two pieces of cover with their edges abutting on a game ball,

consisting in preforming perforations through the edge portions of the pieces at intervals therealong,

and then makingsuccessive passages of thread out through a perforation of one piece and thenback into and partly through the same perfora-f tion, then through a side of the perforation and diagonally along and out through the edge of the piece, then under the edge portion' of the otherl piece and out through aperforation thereof and then back into and partly through this same perforation, then through a side of this perforation and further diagonally along and out through the edge portion of this otherl piece and returning under the edge portion of th'e first piece.

6. 'Ihe method of stitchingtogether two pieces of cover with their edges abutting on a game bail, consisting in preforming perforations through the edge portions of the pieces at intervals therealong, and then making successive passages of thread out through a perforation of one piece and' then back into and partly through the same perforation, then through a side of theperforation and diagonally along and out through the edge of the piece, then under the edge portion of the other piece and out through a perforation thereof and then back into and partly through this'same perforation, then through a side of this perforation and further diagonally along and out through the edge portionfof this other piece and returning under the edge portion of the first piece, and drawing the thread taut and thereby causing complete abutment of the edges of the pieces at each passage of the thread out through a perforation.

'1. The method of stitching a cover on a game ball which consists in inserting concealed stitches of the stitches each one of the stitches by passing a thread'from one meeting portion of the cover through the abutting edge oi' the opposite meeting portion and then out through the outer surfaceof this opposite portion. then back into the perforation occupied by the yjust previous passage of the thread, and again through the abutting edge of this opposite portion at a point different from the previous passage of the thread through this abutting edge. and therefrom again into the rst mentioned meeting portion, said method being characterized bv the drawing of the stitch taut at a stage within the cycle of formation of each stitch. whereby all of' the previously formed.

stitches are tout at the time of starting of each y stitch of all of the stitches in the cover.

9. A method of forming at least a final series `of stitches of a cover on a game bali with the cover in its final inside in condition, which consists in forming each one of said series of stitches by passing a thread from one meeting'portion of the cover through the abutting edge of the" opposite meeting portion and `then out through" the outer surface of this oppfisite portion, then back into the perforation occupied by they ,inst previous passage of the thread, and again through the' abutting edge of this opposite portion1 at a point different from the previous passage of the thread through this abutting edge, and therefrom again into the first mentioned meeting portion, said method being characterized by the drawing of the stitch taut at a stage within the cycle oi' formation of each stitchof said series, whereby al1 of the previously formed stitches of said series are taut at the time of starting of each stitch of all of the stitches in said series.

10. The method of stitching together two 10 pieces of cover with their edges abutting on a game ball; consisting in xnaking successive passages of thread through the inner surface oi an edge portion of one piece, partly out through the piece, then out through the edge of the piece. then under the edge portion of the other piece and partly out therethrough. then out through the edge of theother piece and returning under e v the edge portion of the mst piece.

" EDWARD mum. 

